Marc Fogel
American teacher Marc Fogel was sentenced to 14 years in a Russian penal colony for carrying medical marijuana. Unlike Brittney Griner, he was not classified as 'wrongfully detained,' sparking controversy.
Marc Fogel, 61, an American teacher at the Anglo-American School of Moscow, was arrested at a Russian airport on August 14, 2021 for carrying 17 grams of medical marijuana prescribed for chronic pain.
Fogel was convicted and sentenced to 14 years in a Russian penal colony—far exceeding the typical sentence for the amount involved. The harsh sentence was widely seen as politically motivated.
Unlike Brittney Griner, who was detained under similar circumstances, Fogel was not classified as 'wrongfully detained' by the State Department, which would have elevated his case. His family and supporters have lobbied extensively for reclassification.
Fogel was not included in the Griner prisoner exchange or subsequent exchanges. His case highlights the arbitrary nature of which detained Americans receive government advocacy.
Curated starting points for verifying and researching this case. Direct references are checked; search links are provided as further-reading aids. ColdCaseIndex is an index of public information — see a case correction? Email info@coldcaseindex.com.
Have Information About This Case?
Cold cases are solved when someone comes forward. Even a detail that seems minor can matter. If you have any information about this case, contact law enforcement through one of these channels:
- FBI Tips (tips.fbi.gov) — submit a tip online to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
- FBI Tip Line: 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324)
- The local police department or sheriff's office in Russia, or the state bureau of investigation
Tips can usually be submitted anonymously. To report an error on this page, email info@coldcaseindex.com.